Gaming machine and control method of gaming machine

ABSTRACT

A gaming machine is configured to shift from a normal game mode to a special game mode based on the result of determination on establishment/non-establishment of a shift condition. After shifting to the special game mode, the gaming machine extracts a predetermined number of card data to be used in the special game mode, and selects card data to be assigned to a first group and card data to be assigned to second groups from among the extracted card data. Then, the gaming machine compares a winning combination based on the card data of the first group to winning combinations based on the card data of at least two the second groups, and pays the payout amount to the player in accordance with the comparison result.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority fromthe prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-412256, filed on Dec. 10,2003 the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a gaming machine on which card gamessuch as blackjack and so on can be played with images of cards such asplaying cards or the like being displayed on a screen, and a controlmethod of the gaming machine.

2. Related Background Art

Conventionally, a gaming machine is known which displays images showingcards such as playing cards on its display screen, which is realized bya liquid crystal display panel or CRT, and changes the display of eachof the card images in accordance with operation input by a player tothereby make the game progress (for example, Japanese Patent UnexaminedApplication No. 2001-70642, hereinafter, reference of “Patent Document1”). A real player playing games on such a gaming machine playsplaying-card games (card games) such as a blackjack game and a pokergame against a dealer being a virtual opponent controlled by the gamingmachine, and receives payout as a winning such as medals in accordancewith the result of play.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The card game in the above-described conventional gaming machineincluding the above-described Patent Document 1, however, is that thewin/loss is decided by comparing superiority/inferiority between awinning combination of cards of the real player and a winningcombination of cards of the dealer being the virtual opponent controlledby the gaming machine, so that when the player wins, a fixed payoutamount in accordance with the winning combination of the player is paidout. Therefore, in the card game performed in the conventional gamingmachine, once the winning combination of the cards of the player isdecided, the payout amount to be paid out when the player wins isautomatically decided (known), thus giving the player repeatedly playinggames on this gaming machine a feeling of monotony. Accordingly, theconventional gaming machine is not enough to keep the interest of theplayer.

The present invention has been developed in consideration of theabove-described problems and an object thereof is to provide a gamingmachine capable of keeping the interest of a player by making thecontents of a card game varied and new, and a control method of thegaming machine.

To achieve the above-described object, the present invention is a gamingmachine including a determining means determiningestablishment/non-establishment of a shift condition for shifting a gamemode from a normal game mode to a special game mode and shifting meansshifting the game mode from the normal game mode to the special gamemode based on the determination result of the determining means,characterized by including: extraction means extracting a predeterminednumber of card data to be used in the special game mode, from aplurality of card data; selecting means selecting a card data to beassigned to the first group and card data to be assigned to each of aplurality of second group, from among the predetermined number of carddata extracted by the extraction means; winning combination comparingmeans performing comparison between a winning combination based on thecard data of the first group and winning combinations based on the carddata of at least two the second groups; and payout calculating meanscalculating a payout based on the comparison result by the winningcombination comparing means.

In the special game mode of the present invention, it is assumed thereare a plurality of second groups, and winning combinations of therespective card data of the second group are compared to (playedagainst) a winning combination of the card data of the first group tocompete for superiority respectively. Therefore, a player of the firstgroup is given a chance to receive a plurality of payout times bywinning against the plurality of second groups. The payout amount(winnings) to be paid out to the first group is not defined until afterthe end of plays against all of the second groups even when the winningcombination of the card data of the first group has been decided, thusallowing a player of the first group to continue having expectationstill the last moment. Therefore, even if the game is repeatedlyperformed, the interest of a player of the first group can be kept.

In this case, it is preferable that the gaming machine further includesan instruction input device inputting instruction to the first group,wherein the selecting means selects the card data for the first group inaccordance with the instruction inputted from the instruction inputdevice. This allows the player of the first group to realize that his orher own will is reflected and he or she directly participates in thespecial game mode, so that the interest of a player of the first groupcan be kept longer.

Further, it is preferable that the payout changes in accordance with thenumber of the second group side against that the first group side haswon. In this case, for example, when the payout is increased inproportion to the number of the second group side against that a playerof the first group side has won, a player of the first group expects towin against the greater number of second groups, resulting in moreinterest added.

Further, it is preferable that, where processing from the extraction ofthe card data by the extraction means to the winning combinationcomparison by the winning combination comparing means is regarded as onegame, a payout rate for calculating the payout by the payout calculatingmeans is changed for each game. This allows a player of the first groupto have expectations of winning of a game with a high payout rate,leading to more interest added.

Further, it is suitable that the gaming machine further includes a carddisplay device displaying the card images using the card data selectedby the selecting means.

Further, it is suitable that the selecting means select card data to beassigned to the first group as card data on a player side and selectcard data to be assigned to the second group as card data on the gamingmachine.

Then, it is suitable that in the special game mode, a player is able toplay a blackjack game.

The present invention provides a control method of a gaming machineincluding a determining means determiningestablishment/non-establishment of a shift condition for shifting a gamemode from a normal game mode to a special game mode and shifting meansshifting the game mode from the normal game mode to the special gamemode based on the determination result of the determining means, themethod including the step of: extracting a predetermined number of carddata to be used in the special game mode, from a plurality of card data;selecting card data to be assigned to a first group and card data to beassigned to each of a plurality of second group, from among thepredetermined number of extracted card data; performing a comparisonbetween a winning combination based on the card data of the first groupand winning combination based on the card data of at least two thesecond groups; and calculating a payout based on the comparison resultof winning combination.

The present invention will be more fully understood from the detaileddescription given herein below and the accompanying drawings which aregiven by way of illustration only, and thus are not to be considered aslimiting the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an entire configuration of a gamingmachine being a gaming machine according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the gaming machine, mainly showing itsinternal configuration;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of an internalconfiguration of an image control circuit;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure from a start to anend of a game in the gaming machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of lotteryprocessing shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of first gameprocessing shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is diagrams showing examples of contents of symbol decisiontables for use in the first game;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of contents of a stop table foruse in the first game; FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of awinning determination table for use in the first game;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a state determination tablefor use in the first game;

FIG. 11 is a view showing a game execution screen in the first game;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of second gameprocessing shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 13 is a schematic view showing an example of a game executionscreen displayed on a liquid crystal display panel during the secondgame processing;

FIG. 14 is a schematic view showing an example of a game executionscreen displayed on the liquid crystal display panel during the secondgame processing; and

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of other secondgame processing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that thesame reference numbers are assigned to the same or correspondingcomponents and overlapping description thereof is omitted.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an entire configuration of a gamingmachine 1. The gaming machine 1, which is a gaming machine according toan embodiment of the present invention, has a variable display devicewhich variably displays a plurality of symbols and a card display devicewhich displays a plurality of card images. The gaming machine 1 can alsoexecute a normal game mode in which a plurality of (three in thisembodiment) pseudo-reels are displayed on the variable display device toallow a normal slot game (first game) to be played, and additionally aspecial game mode in which a plurality of card images are displayed onthe card display device to allow blackjack being a match card game(second game) to be played. In the normal game mode, winning/non-winningis determined depending on the combination of symbols coming to aneffective line(pay line) at the point of time when the pseudo-reelsstop.

The gaming machine 1 has a cabinet 2, on the front of which liquidcrystal display panels 3, 4, and 5 are mounted in order from the upperside. On the liquid crystal display panel 3, images that are notdirectly involved in games (for example, a payout table,three-dimensional moving image for game performance making games moreexciting, and so on) are displayed. On the liquid crystal display panel4, explanation of how to play games and so on are displayed.

The liquid crystal display panel 5 operates as the variable displaydevice and the card display device. On this liquid crystal display panel5, the plurality of pseudo-reels for the first game (slot game) aredisplayed in the normal game mode, such that the symbols on each of thepseudo-reels are variably displayed (scroll display). Further, the cardimages for the second game (card game) are displayed in the special gamemode. Note that the contents of the pseudo-reels and the card images tobe displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 5 will be describedlater.

Besides, the cabinet 2 is provided with a coin insertion slot 6 forinserting coins for betting in a game, and a bill insertion port 7 forinserting bills, below the liquid crystal display panel 5. Further, aspin button 8, a BET selection button 9, a line selection button 10, anda payout button 12 are provided in order leftward from the billinsertion port 7.

The spin button 8 inputs a start signal for a player to instruct startof a game to thereby start the variable display of the pseudo-reels onthe liquid crystal display device 5 by an operation input of the player.The BET selection button 9 inputs a BET selection signal for the playerto select and set the number of coins (for example, 1, 2, or 10) to bean object of a BET. The line selection button 10 inputs a line selectionsignal for the player to select and set a desired effective line fromamong a plurality of effective lines not shown by an operation input ofthe player. Further, the cabinet 2 is provided, at the bottom, with acoin payout opening 13 and a coin receiving tray 14 which receives paidout coins.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the gaming machine 1, mainly showing itsinternal configuration. The gaming machine 1 has a plurality ofcomponents around a microcomputer 31.

The microcomputer 31 has a main CPU (Central Processing Unit) 32, a RAM(Random Access Memory) 33, and a ROM (Read Only Memory) 34. The main CPU32 operates in accordance with a program stored in the ROM 34 toinput/output signals from/to other components via an I/O port 39 tothereby control the operation of the entire gaming machine 1. The RAM 33stores data and programs for use in operation of the main CPU 32, inwhich, for example, random number values sampled by a later-describedsampling circuit 36 are temporarily held after start of a game, and datasuch as code Nos. (code numbers) and symbol Nos. (symbol numbers) of thepseudo-reels are stored. The ROM 34 stores programs executed by the mainCPU 32 and permanent data.

The gaming machine 1 further has a random number generator 35, thesampling circuit 36, a clock pulse generation circuit 37, and afrequency divider 38. The random number generator 35 operates inaccordance with the instruction from the main CPU 32 to generate randomnumbers within a certain range. The sampling circuit 36 extracts anarbitrary random number from the random numbers generated by the randomnumber generator 35 in accordance with the instruction from the main CPU32 and inputs the extracted random number into the main CPU 32. Theclock pulse generation circuit 37 generates a reference clock forbringing the main CPU 32 to operate, and the frequency divider 38 inputsinto the main CPU 32 a signal obtained by frequency-dividing thereference clock by a certain period.

A switch input unit 50 has a start switch 51, a BET switch 52, a lineswitch 53, and a payout switch 55. The start switch 51 inputs a startsignal into the main CPU 32 upon detection of an operation input at thespin button 8. The BET switch 52 inputs a BET selection signal into themain CPU 32 upon detection of an operation input at the BET selectionbutton 9. The line switch 53 inputs a line selection signal into themain CPU 32 upon detection of an operation input at the line selectionbutton 10. The payout switch 55 inputs a payout signal into the main CPU32 upon detection of an operation input at the payout button 12.

The gaming machine 1 further has a touch panel 56, a lamp drive circuit59, a lamp 60, an LED drive circuit 61, an LED 62, a hopper drivecircuit 63, a hopper 64, a payout completion signal circuit 65, and acoin detector 66. The gaming machine 1 further has an image controlcircuit 71, a sound control circuit 72, and a speaker 73.

The touch panel 56 is provided in such a manner as to cover the displayscreen of the liquid crystal display panel 5 to detect the position of aplace where a finger of the player touches and input into the main CPU32 a position signal corresponding to the detected position. The lampdrive circuit 59 outputs to the lamp 60 a signal for turning on the lamp60 to cause the lamp 60 to flash during execution of a game. With thisflash, effective performance is realized. The LED drive circuit 61controls flash display of the LED 62. The LED 62 performs credit-numberdisplay, acquired-coin number display, and so on. The hopper drivecircuit 63 drives the hopper 64 under the control of the main CPU 32,and the hopper 64 performs operation for paying out coins for winning topay out coins from the payout opening 13. The coin detector 66 countsthe number of coins paid out by the hopper 64 and sends data on thecounted number value to the payout completion signal circuit 65. Thepayout completion signal circuit 65 receives the data on the numbervalue of coins from the coin detector 66 and inputs a signal notifyingcompletion of the payout of coins into the main CPU 32 when the numbervalue reaches data of the set number.

The image control circuit 71 controls image display on each of theliquid crystal display panels 3, 4, and 5 to cause the liquid crystaldisplay panels 3, 4, and 5 to display various images such as thepseudo-reels which are variably displayed, card images, and the like.

The image control circuit 71 has, as shown in FIG. 3, an image controlCPU 71 a, a work RAM 71 b, a program ROM 71 c, an image ROM 71 d, avideo RAM 71 e, and a VDP (Video Display Processor) 71 f. The imagecontrol CPU 71 a decides the images (the pseudo-reels, card images, andso on) to be displayed on the liquid crystal display panels 3, 4, and 5based on parameters set by the microcomputer 31 in accordance with animage control program (relating to the displays on the liquid crystaldisplay panels 3, 4, and 5) stored in the program ROM 71 c in advance.The work RAM 71 b is constituted as a temporary memory when the imagecontrol CPU 71 a executes the image control program.

The program ROM 71 c stores the image control program, various selectiontables, and so on. The image ROM 71 d stores dot data for formingimages. The dot data includes, in this embodiment, image data not onlyon the pseudo-reels for use in the slot game in the first game but alsoon card images showing 52 playing cards (hereinafter referred to as a“card image group”) for use in blackjack. The video RAM 71 e isconstituted as a temporary memory when the VDP 71 f forms images. TheVDP 71 f having a control RAM 71 g forms images matching the displaycontents on the respective liquid crystal display panels 3, 4, and 5decided by the image control CPU 71 a, and outputs the respective imagesformed to the liquid crystal display panels 3, 4, and 5.

Returning to FIG. 2, the sound control circuit 72 inputs into thespeaker 73 a sound signal for outputting sound from the speaker 73. Fromthe speaker 73, sound for making a game more exciting is outputted, forexample, at an appropriate timing after start of the game.

Next, operation contents of the gaming machine 1 having theabove-described configuration will be described with reference toflowcharts shown in FIG. 4 to FIG. 6 and FIG. 11. In the gaming machine1, as shown in FIG. 4, the first game is executed first, and then thesecond game is executed under a certain condition. The first game isdescribed as the slot game in the following illustration, but the firstgame executed in the game in the present invention is not limited to theslot game. The game may be, for example, a card game such as a pokergame or the like. On the other hand, the second game only needs to be acard game in which the gaming machine side and the player play a matchagainst each other, and is not limited to blackjack.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the mainprocessing from the start to the end of a slot game in the gamingmachine 1. Note that Step is abbreviated to S in FIG. 4 to FIG. 6 andFIG. 11. As shown in FIG. 4, the gaming machine 1 after starting themain processing performs start acceptance processing in Step 1 forstarting a game.

In the start acceptance processing in Step 1, the gaming machine 1accepts the operation for starting the game from the player under thecontrol of the main CPU 32. To start the slot game to activate thepseudo-reels (to variably display the pseudo-reels), the player firstinserts a number of coins to be bet in one game through the coininsertion slot 6 and operates the BET selection button 9 to therebydecide the number of coins to be bet in one game. Further, the playeroperates the line selection button 10 to select an effective line.Subsequently, the player operates the spin button 8 (hereinafter aseries of these operations is referred to as “start operation”). Withthis start operation, a start signal is inputted from the start switch51 into the main CPU 32 (in the case of credit, a BET selection signalis inputted from the BET switch 52).

Then, the processing proceeds to Step 2, in which lottery processing inthe first game is performed. When the lottery processing is started, theprocessing proceeds to Step 13 shown in FIG. 5, in which the main CPU 32performs symbol decision processing. In this symbol decision processing,the main CPU 32 decides a symbol to be stopped on a selected effectiveline L for each pseudo-reel.

Further, in the lottery processing, when detecting the start operationof the player based on the input signal from the start switch 51, themain CPU 32 instruct the random number generator 35 to generate randomnumbers within a certain range upon receipt of the detection (in otherwords, regarding the start of the game as a trigger). The main CPU 32further instructs the sampling circuit 36 to extract an arbitrary randomnumber from the random numbers generated by the random number generator35. When the random number is extracted, the main CPU 32 sets the randomnumber in a search key to acquire the code No. of its correspondingsymbol and the symbol, referring to symbol decision tables 81 to 83shown in FIGS. 7(a) to (c) stored in the ROM 34. The symbol decisiontables 81 to 83 shown in FIGS. 7(a) to (c), which correspond to thepseudo-reels R1 to R3 in order, are tables storing the code No. of eachsymbol and the symbol associated with the random numbers. For example,when the random number extracted by the sampling circuit 36 is a numberranging from 0 to 20, the code No. “0” and the symbol “(WILD)” areacquired. The processing of extracting a random number to acquire itscode No. is performed for each of the pseudo-reels R1 to R3.

Alternatively, it is suitable to search a corresponding symbol for eachof the pseudo-reels R1 to R3 referring to one stop table 90 as shown inFIG. 8, instead of the three symbol decision tables 81 to 83.

Here the stop table 90 is, as shown in FIG. 8, a table having a code No.area 90 a where code Nos. (of symbols) are stored, a symbol area 90 bwhere the symbols corresponding to the code Nos. are stored, and arandom number area 90 c where random numbers are stored, and isconfigured such that when a random number is set in the search key tosearch the random number area 90 c, the code No. of its correspondingsymbol and the symbol can be searched for each of the pseudo-reels R1 toR3. In the symbol area 90 b, symbols are registered corresponding to thecode Nos. of “0” to “6” for each of the pseudo-reels (the order of theregistered symbols is different from those of the symbol decision tables81 to 83 shown in FIG. 7). For example, C1 shown in FIG. 8 shows asymbol pattern composed of symbols when the acquired code Nos. are “0”for all of the pseudo-reels R1 to R3.

Then, in the gaming machine 1, the extraction of a random number and thesearch of the symbol decision tables 81 to 83 or the stop table 90 areperformed for each of the pseudo-reels R1 to R3. When symbols aredecided for the pseudo-reels R1 to R3, stop positions of the reels forstopping the symbols on the effective line L are then decided.

Referring again to FIG. 5, upon decision of the stop positions of thereels, the main CPU 32 proceeds to Step 14 and determineswinning/non-winning referring to a winning determination table 86 storedin the ROM 34. Here in the winning determination table 86, as shown inFIG. 9, either of a winning symbol pattern and a not-winning(non-winning) symbol pattern is distinguishably registered associatedwith the combination of the code Nos. (hereinafter referred to as a“code No. pattern”). Since the code No. pattern corresponding to thestop positions of the pseudo-reels is decided in Step 13, the main CPU32 sets the code No. pattern in the search key and refers to the winningdetermination table 86, thereby determining winning/non-winning from thereference result. Note that, in the winning determination table 86, codeNo. patterns are set corresponding to the stop table 90.

Subsequently, the main CPU 32 refers to a contents table 91 shown inFIG. 10 and performs a winning contents determination processing ofdetermining the winning contents (the “winning contents” is referred toalso as a “winning combination”). Here the contents table 91 is fordeciding the contents in winning (winning state), in which payoutamounts (the payout of coins and the contents of the second game)corresponding to the winning contents are registered as shown in FIG.10. For example, a winning combination “(any)-(any)-trigger-1 or 2”means a case when specific symbols (symbols when the code No. of thepseudo-reel R3 is 2 or 6, and the code Nos. of the pseudo-reels R1 andR2 are arbitrary numbers) appear, so that BONUS 1 or 2 here, that is,the second game is executed. Note that the difference between BONUS 1and BONUS 2, described later in detail, is in that the number ofopponents in the second game is different. Besides, a winningcombination “7-7-7” means that the symbols on the pseudo-reels R1 to R3match to “7,” in which case the payout amount is 80 coins. With that thelottery processing ends.

Next, the processing proceeds to Step 3, the first game processing isperformed. The first game processing is performed with the game mode iskept in the normal game mode and includes Step 17 to Step 19 shown inFIG. 6. In Step 17, variable display processing is performed. In thiscase, the image control circuit 71 operates according to the instructionof the main CPU 32 to display, for example as shown in FIG. 11, a gameexecution image including variable display images of the plurality ofpseudo-reels R1 to R3 is displayed on the liquid crystal display panel5. FIG. 11 is a view showing the game execution image in the normal gamemode on the liquid crystal display panel 5. On the liquid crystaldisplay panel 5, the three pseudo-reels R1, R2, and R3 are variablydisplayed at the center thereof, and the laterally extending straighteffective line L is displayed at the middle thereof. Each of thepseudo-reels R1 to R3 has a plurality of symbols (for example, a symbolS1 displaying “WILD,” a symbol S2 displaying “BONUS 1,” and so on) andis thus variably displayed such that the symbols appear successively inan irregular order. Note that the “BONUS 1” of the symbol S2 shown inFIG. 11 corresponds to the “trigger 1” shown in FIG. 10. Further, in thegaming machine 1, the three pseudo-reels are arranged side by side in aline in the horizontal direction, but the number of reels is not limitedto three. For example, the number may be five or nine.

Further, in a region E1 on the upper right side of the pseudo-reels R1to R3, the credit number and the BET number are displayed. Furthermore,in a region E2 on the lower side of the pseudo-reels R1 to R3,explanation of the game contents (in this embodiment, characters “INSERTCOIN PUSH THE BUTTON”) is displayed.

Though not shown, the main CPU 32 instructs, during the first gameprocessing, the image control circuit 71 to display the payout table andthe three-dimensional images for game performance on the liquid crystaldisplay panel 3 and the image for explanation of how to play games andthe like on the liquid crystal display panel 4.

Referring again to FIG. 6, after the end of Step 17, the processingproceeds to Step 18, in which stop control processing is performed. Herethe pseudo-reels R1 to R3 in scrolling are stopped to correspond to theresult of the lottery processing in Step 2.

Next, the processing proceeds to Step 19, in which payout processing isperformed. In this case, when the main CPU 32 instructs the hopper drivecircuit 63 to perform payout of a number of coins corresponding to thesearch result in the contents table 91, the hopper 64 performs payout ofcoins in the first game. Further, when determining that the payout ofthe instructed number of coins by the signal from the payout completioncircuit 65 has been performed, the main CPU 32 ends the payoutprocessing and proceeds to Step 4 shown in FIG. 4.

After proceeding to Step 4, the main CPU 32 operates as a determiningmeans to determine whether the trigger for shifting to the second gameis established or not (establishment/non-establishment of a shiftcondition for shifting the game mode from the normal game mode to thespecial game mode) from the result of the winning contents determinationin Step 14. Here when the winning contents shows the possibility ofshifting to the special game mode (for example, when the symbol patternis “(any)-(any)-trigger 1 or 2” shown by B1 or B2 in FIG. 10), the mainCPU 32 operates as shifting means and proceeds from Step 4 to Step 5 toshift the game mode to the special game mode, thereby performing thesecond game processing. If the shift condition is not established, themain CPU 32 ends the main processing without executing Step 5.

Next, the second game processing being a characteristic part of thepresent invention will be described.

In the second game processing in this embodiment, a game (card game) inwhich a first player (card assigned to first player is referred to asfirst group) plays against a plurality of second players (card assignedto second player is referred to as second group) can be performed. Inthis card game, the processing is performed with the first playerstanding on a position of a player really existing (hereinafter,referred to as a real player) and each of the second players standing ona position of a virtual player (hereinafter, referred to as a virtualplayer) on the main CPU (gaming machine) side. Further, the first playerplays a role as a master (dealer) and the second players play roles asslaves, and the first player and the plurality of second players play amatch on blackjack. In short, the real player plays against theplurality of virtual players.

After the processing proceeds to Step 5 shown in FIG. 4 and the secondgame is started, the processing proceeds to Step 20 shown in FIG. 12 inwhich the main CPU 32 operates as an extraction means to extract imagedata for a predetermined number of card images of cards to be used inthe second game (image data for a card image is referred to as “carddata”.). Note that, in addition to image data, number on the card, markon the card, and so on, information for specifying each of the cardimage are included in card data. In this event, the main CPU 32 extractsfrom the card image group the card data for displaying the predeterminednumber of cards on the liquid crystal display panel 5, referring to dataobtained from the sampling circuit 36. In the second game, the liquidcrystal display panel 5 operates as a card display device in the presentinvention. In this embodiment, the card data for displaying respectivecards of the real player as the master and the virtual players as theslaves are extracted. In this event, the number of virtual players asthe slaves is decided from the result of the above-described winningcontents determination in Step 14. For example, when the result is“BONUS 1” (the symbol pattern is “(any)-(any)-trigger 1”), the number ofthe virtual players is decided to be three, and when the result is“BONUS 2” (the symbol pattern is “(any)-(any)-trigger 2”), the number ofthe virtual players is decided to be five. Note that, in the embodimentdescribed below, the case of “BONUS 1,” that is, the case in which thevirtual player are three will be described.

Next, the processing proceeds to Step 21, in which cards are distributedto the real player and the virtual players, respectively. In moredetail, the main CPU 32 operates as a selecting means to select carddata which is assigned to the real player and is to be displayed as thecard for the real player, from the card data extracted in Step 20. Onthe other hand, the main CPU 32, which also operates as a decision meansdeciding the card images to be assigned to the virtual playersrespectively, selects card data which are assigned to the virtualplayers and are to be displayed as cards for the virtual players, fromthe card data extracted in Step 20. Then, after the selection, the mainCPU 32 causes the liquid crystal display panel 5 to display the cardimages using the selected card data. In this event, first of all, themain CPU 32 displays on the liquid crystal display panel 5 such thatcards facing up are distributed to the real player and all of thevirtual players, one for each.

FIG. 13 is a schematic view showing a state in which card images for thereal player and the virtual players are displayed, one for each. In thisdrawing, a card image 40 a (“A” here) for the real player is displayedon the left side as the player faces, on the liquid crystal display 5,and card images 41 a (“7” here), 42 a (“8” here), and 43 a (“A” here)for the virtual players are displayed on the right side as the playerfaces, on the liquid crystal display 5. Further, at the lower right sideon the liquid crystal display panel 5, the number of games (three gameshere) that the real player has won until then, regarding processing fromStep 20 to later-described Step 26 as one game, and the number of coinsto be an object of BET selected and set by the real player (10 here) aredisplayed.

Next, the main CPU 32 operates as a selecting means to select card datafor newly displaying as the cards for the real player and the virtualplayers, from the card data extracted in Step 20, and causes the liquidcrystal display panel 5 to display the card images using the card data.In this event, the main CPU 32 displays a card image 40 b such that acard facing down is distributed to the real player and displays cardimages 41 b, 42 b, and 43 b such that cards facing up are distributed tothe virtual players, one for each. It is only required that the numberson all of the card images to be distributed have been decided at thispoint of time, and various timings are conceivable as the timing ofdeciding the numbers on all of the card images. Thereafter, the cardimage 40 b (“9” here) for the real player facing down is turned up.

FIG. 14 is a schematic view showing a state in which card images for thereal player and for the virtual players are displayed facing up, two foreach. At this point of time, winning combinations based on the card datacorresponding to the card images of the real player and the virtualplayers may be decided. In this case, the processing proceeds to Step23, in which the main CPU 32 operates as winning combination comparingmeans to perform a winning combination comparison in which the winningcombination based on the card data corresponding to card images 40 a and40 b of the real player is compared with the winning combinations basedon the card data respectively corresponding to the card images 41 a and41 b, the card images 42 a and 42 b, and the card images 43 a and 43 bof the virtual players, using the number on the card, mark on the cardfor specifying each of the card images(in this embodiment, the number onthe card), out of card data corresponding to the respective card imagesof the real player being the master and the virtual players being theslaves. Note that the “winning combination” mentioned here is not the“winning contents” in the above-described first game but means thecombination of the numbers on the plurality of card images. Then, theprocessing proceeds to Step 24, the main CPU 32 comparessuperiority/inferiority between the winning combination of the cardimages of the real player and the winning combination of the card imagesof the virtual player to determine whether the real player wins or not.More specifically, the main CPU 32 compares the total of the numbers onthe card images of the real player with the total of the numbers on thecard images of the virtual player to determine which is closer to “21.”

It is assumed that comparison with the virtual player corresponding tothe card images 41 a and 41 b shown in FIG. 14 is performed first ofall. Since the total of the numbers on the card images of this virtualplayer is 10+7=17, while the total of the numbers on the card images ofthe real player is 9+11 (A is assumed to be 11)=20, the real player isdetermined to win. Then, the processing proceeds to Step 25, in which apayout amount to be paid to the real player is added. Next, theprocessing proceeds to Step 26, the main CPU 32 operates as adetermining means to determines whether or not the winning combinationof the card images of the real player have been compared to the winningcombinations of the card-images of all of the virtual players (whetheror not the winning combination comparison has been performed for thecard images of all of the virtual players).

In Step 26, when it is determined that the winning combination of thecard images of the real player has not been compared to the winningcombinations of the card images of all of the virtual players, theprocessing returns to Step 23, and when it is determined that thewinning combination of the card images of the real player has beencompared to the winning combinations of the card images of all of thevirtual players, the processing proceeds to Step 27. Thus, the main CPU32 repeats the processing from Step 23 to Step 25 until the winningcombination of the card images of the real player is compared to thewinning combinations of the card images of all of the virtual players.In the state shown in FIG. 14, the totals of the numbers on the cardimages of the virtual players are 10+7=17, 9+8=17, and 10+11 =21,respectively. Accordingly, comparing the totals of the numbers on thecard images of the real player and the virtual players, the real playerhas won against two virtual players, so that “WIN×2” is displayed at theupper side on the liquid crystal display panel 5, and “WON 4” isdisplayed at the lower right side on the liquid crystal display panel 5since the number of games that the real player has won until then isincreased by one. On the other hand, in Step 24, when the real playerhas not won against the virtual players, the main CPU 32 proceeds toStep 26 without executing Step 25 and performs the determination similarto the above.

In Step 26, when it is determined that the winning combination of thecard images of the real player has been compared to the winningcombinations of the card images of all of the virtual players, theprocessing proceeds to Step 27, in which it is determined, regarding theprocessing from Step 20 to Step 26 as one game, whether or not the gamehas been executed a predetermined number of times (for example, seventimes), and if executed, the processing proceeds to Step 28 and if notexecuted, the processing returns to Step 20. For returning to Step 20,the main CPU 32 instruct the image control circuit 71 to delete thecards already displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 5, and toextract predetermined number of card data again in a manner similar tothe above. In this case, for example, Step 29 is provided between Steps26 and 27 as shown in FIG. 15, and count-up in which “1” is added to thegame number counter is performed in Step 29. Further, in Step 27,whether or not a predetermined number of games have been completed maybe determined depending on whether or not the game number counterindicates the predetermined number or greater in Step 27 (the gamenumber counter is cleared after Step 28).

In Step 28, the main CPU 32 operates as payout calculating means tocalculate the payout for a winning corresponding to the comparisonresult of the winning combination of the card images in Step 23.Further, the main CPU 32 instructs the hopper drive circuit 63 toperform payout corresponding to the calculated payout. Then, uponreceipt of the instruction, the hopper drive circuit 63 issues aninstruction of payout of the payout of coins, so that the hopper 64 paysout coins. Here the main CPU 32 operating as the payout calculatingmeans calculates the payout using a payout being a reference which isset separately from that for the first game. In this event, the payoutchanges in accordance with the number of virtual players against thatthe real player has won as a result of comparison between the winningcombinations of the card images, for example, increases in proportion tothe number of virtual players against that the real player has won. Inthis case, there is a possibility that the greater the number of virtualplayers playing against the real player, the larger the payout becomes,and therefore the real player expects that the symbol patter becomes“BONUS 2” (a symbol pattern of “(any)-(any)-trigger 2”) for five virtualplayers rather than “BONUS 1” (a symbol patter of “(any)-(any)-trigger1”) for three virtual players in the above-described first game.Consequently, the first game is made more attractive. With that thesecond game ends.

In the above-described second game, though the winning combinations ofthe card images of the real player and the virtual players are decidedat the point of time when two card images are distributed to each ofthem as shown in FIG. 14, it is also suitable to further select carddata so that the totals of the numbers on the card images of the realplayer and the virtual players to be “21” or less in conformity with therule of normal blackjack. In this case, the main CPU 32 may perform allof selections of the card data so as to progress the game automatically,or the main CPU 32 as a selecting means may select, for the card imagesof the real player, the card data one by one in response to theinstruction of the real player inputted from the liquid crystal displaypanel 5 as an instruction input device. In this event, the main CPU 32causes the liquid crystal display panel 5 covered with the touch panel56 to display, for example, “HIT” and “STAND.”

Then, for example, when the real player touches “HIT,” card data for onecard is selected and a card image is displayed using the card data onthe liquid crystal display panel 5. The selection of card images bytouching “HIT” can be performed any times unless the total of thenumbers on the card images of the real player exceeds “21.” On the otherhand, when the real player touches “STAND,” a winning combination isdecided by the card images being displayed on the liquid crystal displaypanel 5 at the point of time. Note that, when the total of the numberson the card images exceeds “21,” it is regarded as a burst, so that aloss is decided at that point of time. Note that it is also suitablethat buttons for inputting instructions “HIT” and “STAND” are providedon the cabinet 2 so that the real player pushes the buttons to select“HIT” and “STAND.”

Besides, although the number of virtual players in the second game isdecided to be three or five based on the result of winning contentsdetermination in the above-described Step 14 in this embodiment, it isalso suitable that the number of virtual players can be freely set bythe real player inputting an instruction from the liquid crystal displaypanel 5 as an instruction input device. In this case, the designation ofthe number of virtual players is performed prior to, for example, Step20. Such a free selection of the number of virtual players allows theestimated payout amount to be great changed, thereby making the gamecontents more interesting.

As described above, according to the present invention, processing isperformed with the first player standing on a position of a real playerand each of the second players standing on a position of a virtualplayer, in which the real player thus plays against a plurality ofopponents. This allows the real player to win a plurality of times inone game and obtain accordingly increased payout amount. Further, thepayout amount to be paid to the real player is not defined until afterplays against all of the virtual players are finished, which allows thereal player to keep an expectation to the last moment of the game.Therefore, even when play of a game is repeatedly performed on thegaming machine 1, the payout amount to be paid for a win is not fixedbut changes in each play of the game, which can keep the interest of thereal player.

In the above-described second game of the gaming machine 1, the game canbe repeatedly performed a plurality of times, and in this event thepayout rate may be changed for each game. For example, the number ofgames is counted by the main CPU 32 so that the payout being a referencefor payout set in accordance with the winning combination of the cardimages may be multiplied by a multiplier in accordance with the numberof games (this multiplier is for calculating the payout and referred toas a “payout rate” hereinafter). For example, in the case of the totalnumber of games is 7, when the number of games is 1 to 6 (a first gameto a sixth game), the payout rate can be 1, and when the number of gamesis 7 (a seventh game), the payout rate can be 2. This can make the realplayer losing at the beginning expect to recover the loss if he or shewins in the last game, thus making the game more attractive.

Based on the foregoing, the payout (payout amount) in the second gamecan be calculated also by the following Equation 1. It should be notedthat Equation 1 is an example, and the calculation equation for thepayout in the second game, as a matter of course, is not limited tothis.Payout amount H=(BET number+X )×S+  Equation 1:

X: payout amount when winning against one slave, S: payout rate in eachgame

In Equation 1, assuming that the BET number is 10, the payout amountwhen winning against one slave is five coins, the payout rates in thefirst to third games are 1, 2, and 3 respectively, and the numbers ofslaves against that the master has won in the first to third games aretwo, one, and two respectively, the payout amount H is:H=(10+5+5)×1+(10+5)×2+(10+5+5) ×3=110 (coins).

In the foregoing, the present invention has been described concretelybased on the embodiments, but the present invention is not limited tothe above-described embodiments. For example, the second game is startedafter the end of the first game in the above-described embodiments, butmay be started during play of the first game. Besides, the number ofslaves (virtual players) may be decided by lottery under the control ofthe main CPU 32.

Further, in the second game processing in this embodiment, the realplayer plays a role as a master and the virtual players play roles asslaves, it is suitable that the real player plays a role as slave by aselection of real player. It is suitable that the real player select arole as slaves at any time. If the real player plays a role as a slaveby the selection of real player, the real player players a plurality ofrole as slave against the virtual player.

According to the present invention, processing is performed with thefirst player standing on a position of the real player and each of thesecond players standing on a position of a virtual player. Further, whena plurality of second players playing against the first player appear onthe game and the first player has played against all of the secondplayers, the payout amount to be paid to the first player is decided inaccordance with the play against each of the second players. This cankeep the interest of the first player.

It is apparent that various embodiments and modifications of the presentinvention can be embodied, based on the above description. Accordingly,it is possible to carry out the present invention in the other modesthan the above best mode, within the following scope of claims and thescope of equivalents.

1. A gaming machine comprising determining means determiningestablishment/non-establishment of a shift condition for shifting a gamemode from a normal game mode to a special game mode and shifting meansshifting the game mode from the normal game mode to the special gamemode based on the determination result of said determining means, saidgaming machine comprising: extraction means extracting a predeterminednumber of card data to be used in the special game mode, from aplurality of card data; selecting means selecting card data to beassigned to a first group and card data to be assigned to each of aplurality of second group, from among the predetermined number of carddata extracted by said extraction means; winning combination comparingmeans performing a comparison between a winning combination based on thecard data of said first group and winning combinations based on the carddata of at least two said second groups; and payout calculating meanscalculating a payout based on the comparison result by said winningcombination comparing means.
 2. The gaming machine according to claim 1,further comprising an instruction input device inputting instruction tothe first group, wherein said selecting means selects the card data forthe first group in accordance with the instruction inputted from saidinstruction input device.
 3. The gaming machine according to claim 1,wherein the payout changes in accordance with the number of the secondgroup side against that the first group side has won.
 4. The gamingmachine according to claim 1, wherein, where processing from theextraction of the card data by said extraction means to the winningcombination comparison by said winning combination comparing means isregarded as one game, a payout rate for calculating the payout by saidpayout calculating means is changed for each game.
 5. The gaming machineaccording to claim 1, further comprising a card display devicedisplaying the card image using the card data selected by said selectingmeans.
 6. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein, saidselecting means select card data to be assigned to said first group ascard data on a player side and select card data to be assigned to saidsecond group as card data on said gaming machine.
 7. The gaming machineaccording to claim 1, wherein, in said special game mode, a player isable to play a blackjack game.
 8. A control method of a gaming machinecomprising determining means determining establishment/non-establishmentof a shift condition for shifting a game mode from a normal game mode toa special game mode and shifting means shifting the game mode from thenormal game mode to the special game mode based on the determinationresult of said determining means, said method comprising the step of:extracting predetermined number of card data to be used in the specialgame mode, from a plurality of card data; selecting card data to beassigned to a first group and card data to be assigned to each of aplurality of second group, from among the predetermined number ofextracted card data; performing a comparison between a winningcombination based on the card data of said first group and winningcombination based on the card data of at least two said second groups;and calculating a payout based on the comparison result of winningcombination.